and we're just five days away from when kim jong-il passed away. so there's a symbolic importance for them doing this now. so this is the furthest they've gotten. so we have to keep an eye the closer they get. they have clearly made progress. >>> in other news this morning, and to capitol hill, the slow progress being made toward a fiscal compromise in this country that would avoid tax hikes for all of us come next year. president obama and house speaker john boehner spoke about the stalemate by phone last night. mr. obama has cut his demand for new revenue from tax hikes but continues to insist on higher taxes for the wealthy. boehner's counter offer was almost what republicans have been offering all along, $800 billion in tax revenues, none of them generated by higher tax rates. that stalemate is causing irritation for the senate female members. starting in january, there will be 20 of them, a new record. and they told diane sawyer if they were in charge, well, a deal would already be done. >> what i find is with all due deference to our male col